St. Mary's College - Homework Guidelines

Homework forms an essential part of effective pupil learning and therefore it has to be given serious consideration by parents, pupils and teachers alike. Homework may take the form of learning/study as well as written tasks.

We, the staff of St. Mary's, see the following as good reasons for giving homework:

It is necessary for the pupil in order to practice the skills of writing and learning.

It helps teachers to identify mistakes and learning difficulties. It helps studnts to learn from their mistakes and identify their own difficulties.

Homework is a re-inforcement of work done in class and an assessment both for pupils and teachers as to whether work has been understood or not.

It is necessary for exam preparation.

The following are guidelines as to the amount of time to be spent on homework by each year group - Monday to Friday inclusive.

1st & 2nd Years

Ten minutes homework in each of ten subjects per night based on a pupil doing homework in these subjects five nights a week. Pupils could then do twenty minutes revision and this would add up to two hours work per night.

3rd Years

Fifteen minutes homework in each of ten subjects per night. This, added to thirty minutes revision would mean that a pupil could expect to do three hours per night.

4th Years

Transition Year pupils have project work and homework and practical work to do. The time spent at this type of work could vary considerably depending on deadlines, etc.

5th Years

At this level pupils may spend twenty minutes per night on each of seven subjects and with thirty minutes revision, this would roughly come to three and a half hours work.

6th Years

Pupils could expect to spend twenty five minutes on each of seven subjects and then one hour on revision. This would come to four hours work at night.

These guidelines are an aid to assist pupils, teachers and parents with homework and therefore should NOT BE REGARDED AS ABSOLUTE, BUT SHOULD BE USED FLEXIBLY.

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